*For correspondence: aahmad9@hamad.qa
Aamir Ahmad: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1784-5723 Mohd Farhan: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1519-9644 Tariq Al-Qirim: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5124-6797 Hatem Zayed: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8838-6638 Salman Akhtar: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2921-3950 Alvina Farooqui: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7260-0414 S.M.Hadi: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9245-340X
Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol with promising anticancer properties. We have earlier reported its DNA-damaging ability in the presence of Cu(II) with the underlying prooxidant mechanism involving the generation of free radicals. Here, we report protein fragmentation by resveratrol in the presence of Cu(II), which further characterizes its prooxidant activity in the presence of copper ions, leading to macromolecular damage. Studies involving bathocuproine and scavengers of oxygen free radicals suggest that the fragmentation of BSA by resveratrol-Cu(II) involves a pathway similar to that responsible for the DNA cleavage activity, and is predominantly mediated by hydrogen peroxide and superoxide free radicals. We also studied the interaction of resveratrol with proteins. Fluorescence absorption studies show binding of resveratrol to BSA and to other proteins. A comparison of the pattern of binding of resveratrol to proteins with different L-tryptophan content indicates that resveratrol, in addition to tryptophan, may bind to other amino acids and also, non-specifically to the proteins. Given the recent interest in protein conformational changes and protein damage induced by anticancer agents with resulting altered sensitivity to therapies, our work proposes a closer examination of such activity of putative anticancer drugs.
Resveratrol was kindly provided by Pharma Science Inc., Canada.
AA and MF performed experiments; AA, TA, HZ, SA and AF analyzed results; SMH supervised the study; AA and SMH prepared the first draft; All authors edited and proofread the manuscript.
Not applicable.
No funding was received for this study.
None.
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Received: November 18, 2025; Reviewed: December 11, 2025; Accepted: December 18, 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62088/timbb/9.2.1Keywords:
Resveratrol, polyphenols, copper, pro-oxidant, oxidative protein damage
Ahmad, A., Farhan, M., Al-Qirim, T., Zayed, H., Akhtar, S., Farooqui, A., S.M.Hadi, S.. (2025). BINDING TO PROTEINS AND THEIR FRAGMENTATION BY RESVERATROL IN THE PRESENCE OF COPPER IONS. TIMBB, 9 (2), 1-12.